At Bath Rugby it has been about building a better and stronger "culture".

Culture was the buzz word for director of rugby Todd Blackadder when he arrived at Farleigh House last August charged with putting back together what in some ways was a broken club after a disastrous season, the departure of coaches and players which left Bath woefully under-equipped.

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Blackadder and his head coach, Tabai Matson, did what they could in the time they had - very little between their final game in charge of Canterbury Crusaders and the start of the last Premiership season - but even by the end of a much-improved campaign they were not quite satisfied.

They were relatively pleased, especially with a fifth-place finish and return to the European Champions Cup, but not quite satisfied.

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Looking forward to his first full-pre-season in charge, Blackadder spelled out a number of aims including going "back to basics", drilling into the subsconscious the stuctures and tactics he wants his team to play and reconnecting with Bath as a city.

Training sessions at Crossfit Bath, Barra Gracie jiu-jitsu and Beechen Cliff School are examples of that in practice.

Then there was that question of culture again. Blackadder wants his players to be closer and tighter.

He wants them to put rugby above everything else if they are to achieve their potential.

According to some of the players the Chronicle has spoken to, it is hitting home.

"We’ve had a big focus on us as a group," said Henry Thomas.

"It's about our culture, how we interact with each other and with the city.